Balancing device for a suspended element

ABSTRACT

A balancing and equilibration device for suspended elements, e.g. doors, pieces of furniture, and windows that can be moved vertically, to allow their easy movement and balanced positioning at any point of their vertical travel. Supporting ropes are wound up to be translated in spiroid rims of a pair of opposing pulleys, the pulleys being integral with each other via a shaft rotatable on a bearing structure. The shaft is concentric to a helical spring that includes one end integral with the shaft and another end integral with a friction disc that can be blocked to its support to block the other end of the spring, whose opposite side is bound to turn with the shaft to increase or decrease its torsion reaction with changing movement of the pulleys, to assure balancing of the balanced translation of the element on a frame to be vertically covered or uncovered.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a balancing device for a suspendedelement, particularly for sash doors and windows to be verticallytranslated, comprising a shaft rotatably supported on a support, a pairof opposing pulleys attached to the shaft so as to be rotatabletherewith, a pair of supporting ropes, one end of each of which beingattached to the suspended element, and their respective other ends beingattached to the pulleys, wherein each of the pulleys comprises a spiralgroove onto which the respective ropes can be rolled for translating thesuspended element.

The present innovation, in general, relates to a device for thebalancing and the equilibration of the weight of suspended elements,particularly of doors of piece furniture and of sash windows and doorsthat can be vertically translated, to make their movement easier andtheir positioning in any point of their vertical travel balanced.

2. Description of the Related Art

The technique of providing pieces of furniture or fittings provided withsliding doors and sliding windows in particular to save space in housesand rooms of buildings, is well-known.

According to this known technique, in the pieces of furniture orfittings of the above mentioned type, the elements to be verticallytranslated are provided with pulleys and ropes linked to sash weights soas to balance the weight of the elements at issue, in order to allowtheir stable positioning in any point of their vertical travel.

However, it is clear that the presence of sash weights make the piece offurniture or the fittings heavier and increases their bulk because ofthe space required by the movement of the above mentioned weights.

A solution to these disadvantages has been proposed in the Italianpatent application nr. PN. 92A000031 of the Applicant. The contentthereof is incorporated herein by reference. Here, the sash weights havebeen replaced by traction springs that act on pulleys, each pulleyhaving a side with a helical rim and a side with a spiral rim, on whichthe respective suspension ropes that link the element to the mentionedpulleys, wind up.

As a matter of fact, this prior art device reduces the weight of theelement to be translated but it does not reduce its bulk, because thelateral thrusting spring needs space within the piece of furniture orwindow or door, thus even if the required space is reduced, it is noteliminated.

Moreover, maintaining the perfect and corresponding balancing of thethrusting springs is difficult to achieve with the passing of time, andcauses sometimes unbalancings during the vertical travel of the movingelement.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The problem underlying to the present invention is that of combining theadvantages of the spring system that makes the element to be movedlighter than the element provided with the sash weight system, whileeliminating the lateral bulk space and reducing anyway the total volumeof the piece of furniture or window or door (suspended element).

The above problem has been resolved with the balancing device, asmentioned at the outset, wherein said shaft is linked to an end ofelastic means whose opposite end is attached to a friction disc that isrotatably supported on said support and can be blocked against thesupport so as to allow the adjustment of the torsion load caused by thesimultaneous rotation of the pulleys and the shaft.

In general, in order to achieve this object, it is provided to eliminatefrom the balancing device of the known type both the outdated sashweights and the lateral thrust springs, and to replace them with elasticmeans, particularly a single torsional spring to be placed on thelinking shaft of the usual and known cone-shaped pulleys for thesuspended element.

In the following, the terms suspended element, door, window, etc. referto the same type of element, and can be replaced by each other.

In general, a main feature of the invention is that of providing thewinding of the suspension ropes of the element to be translated in thespiral groove or rim of a pair of opposing pulleys linked to each otherby means of a shaft rotatably supported on a bearing structure, saidshaft being fixed to the end of a helical spring properly dimensionedand having its opposite end linked to a friction device that allows thespring to be loaded by means of the rotation of the pulleys thatvertically move the element to be translated.

It is preferred to check the reaction stress of the spring means alsowith the passing of time, assuring it a minimum preloading and acorresponding reaction to the moment of torsion caused by the weight ofthe door to be vertically moved and by the changing of the radius of thespiral rim when rolling up the traction rope of the door to be moved.

Preferably the elastic means are spring means that are arrangedco-axially with the shaft. It is also preferred that the opposite end ofthe spring means is free and independent with respect of the shaft.

According to an advantageous embodiment of the invention the frictiondisc is provided with an inclined head surface that is able to berotated against a corresponding head surface of an opposing frictiondisc so as to exert an axial pressure on the friction disc, for blockingsame against the support. Preferably in this at least one friction ringis provided so as to increase friction between the friction discs andthe support. Furthermore it is preferred that the opposing friction discis rotatable supported on a bush, said bush being supported on the shaftso as to be axially displaceable with respect to the support, andcomprising a shoulder, one of the friction rings being arranged betweenthe shoulder and the opposing friction disc. Moreover it is preferredthat another friction ring is arranged between the shoulder and thesupport.

According to an advantageous embodiment of the invention the blocking ofthe friction disc against the support leads to blocking of the rotationalso of the end of the spring means, whose opposite end is engaged inthe rotation of the shaft put in rotation by the pulleys, every time thesuspended element is vertically moved.

Preferably the blocking or loosening, in particular of the frictiondisc, by means of the rotation of the friction disc allows theadjustment of the torsion load required to be provided by the springmeans to balance the weight of the suspended element, in any phase ofthe positioning of the suspended element along its vertical translation.Moreover suitably the spring means is twined around a drum so as toprovide present a larger wider development surface for the spring means.

The present invention provides a sash sliding element for a piece offurniture or windows or doors that combines the maximum lightness of itsnon-structural part with its minimum bulk, still assuring a betterquality of the vertical translation of the door or window.

Another advantage is that of achieving the desired balancing of thesuspended element moving vertically, using a single compensating springmeans that avoids any unbalancing with the passing of time.

Another advantage of the invention is that the construction, theassembly and the use of the balancing device for elements movingvertically on pieces of furniture or on windows or on doors are madeeasily to achieve.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

These and other advantages are in effect perfectly achieved with thepresent invention, as it can be inferred by the following description ofone of its embodiments that is only indicative and not limitative, incombination with the drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 illustrates a schematical front view of an vertically slidingelement supported by the device of the present invention, represented inits lowered position for closing a port-hole of a frame;

FIG. 2 illustrates a front view like the one represented in FIG. 1, butwith the same sliding element partially lifted from the port-hole of theframe;

FIG. 3 illustrates an axial sectional view of a support of the device ofthe present invention, for the balancing and the support with movementof the door of FIGS. 1 and 2;

FIG. 4 illustrates an axial sectional view of the shaft and of thedifferent parts that build the device, to be provided on the support ofFIG. 3;

FIG. 5 illustrates an axial sectional view of the device of FIG. 4applied on the support of FIG. 3, being, by way of example, representedwith its spring means under minimum torsion and with the supportingropes in the condition, in which they are when the door is let down,according to the drawing of FIG. 1;

FIG. 6 illustrates a front view of the same device of FIG. 5, being, byway of example, represented with its spring means under maximum torsionand with its supporting ropes in the condition, in which they are whenthe door is lifted, according to the drawing of FIG. 2.

In all drawings the same details are represented or are understood to berepresented by the same reference numbers.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS

According to the embodiment proposed in the different figures of thedrawings, a suspended sliding element 6, conventionally calledhereinafter “door”, is to be moved with respect to the port hole 7 of aframe, so as to make it partially or completely free or covered in itsheight, by means of ropes 8 each having an end linked to the upper endof the door 6 and the opposite ends linked to respective cone-shapedpulleys 10. The pulleys 10 are attached to a shaft 12 extendingtransverse to the moving direction of the door 6.

Both pulleys 10 comprise a cylindrical part 10A and a cone-shaped part10B, a spiral rim 10C being provided on the latter part 10B.

On the cylindrical part 10A there is provided a radial threaded hole 10Dthat allows the passage of a grub screw 11, while a screw 13 allows thefixing of its respective rope 8, in a position near the beginning of therim or descending thread 10C.

The grub screws 11 are screwed into the thread hole 10D to attach orblock the pulleys 10 onto the ends of the shaft 12 and to make themintegral with it. The term “integral” is used in the present case not ina sense that the integral elements are made of one part, but in a sensethat they are rigidly attached to each other so that they can co-rotateor co-translate, etc.

Said shaft 12 is supported by a pair of supports 1 and 2 provided withbushings or bearings 3 and 4 or with other means with the sameanti-rolling friction function.

A third support 5 is placed at a proper distance from the support 1 tocooperate with it during the blocking action of friction below betterdescribed.

Said supports 1-2 and 5 can be fixed on a base plate 15, by means ofscrews 9, 9 a, said base plate 15 being linked to the upper cross braceof the frame 7, at which the door 6 is driven to translate vertically.

By means of a grub screw 21, a drum 20 is axially linked to the shaft12, the length of said drum 20 being indicatively a little bit shorterthan the distance between the inner side of the support 2 and the outerside of the support 5.

The drum 20 is linked to the end 22A of spring means 22 preferentiallymade of a spiral or helical spring and able to resist and react to thetorsion load or stress exerted on the drum 20, when the pulley 10 makesit rotate by means of the shaft 12 and of the grub screw 21.

The opposite end 22B of the same spring means 22 is made integral bymeans of a grub screw 23 with a rod 31 of a friction disc 30, whosetilted head surface 32 is linked to the tilted surface 42 of an oppositefriction disc 40.

According to the proposed embodiment, in particular shown in FIGS. 4 and5, the friction disc 40 is axially driven by a rod 51 of a bush 50 thatis provided with a flange 52, against which rings 53, 54 made ofantifriction material are arranged as supporting elements.

The same bush 50 is provided with a tang 55 guided by the support 1 soas to cooperate to the steering in the axial translation of the bush 50and of the friction disc 40, even if it is not rotatably bound to theshaft 12.

To facilitate the sliding of the inclined plane 42 of the disc 40 on theinclined plane 32 of the disc 30, a series of blind holes 41 is providedon the outer surface of the disc 40 to insert therein an adjustment keyor tool.

With reference to the FIG. 3, it can be inferred that the support 1 isprovided with a hole for housing of the outer guide of the bushing 3 aswell as with an opposing and co-axial hole 1 a for housing of the bush50 and with a preferentially reduced loop hole 1 b for the housing thetang 55 of the bush 50.

From FIG. 3 it can be noticed that the opposing support 2 is provided,besides with a containment hole for the bushing 4, also with a co-axialhole 2 a for the passage of the shaft 12, while the intermediate support5 is provided with a loop hole (through hole) 5 a for housing the rod 31of the friction disc 30.

Having thus described the few parts compounding the present invention,their functioning is hereafter summarized also with reference to thespecified advantages.

Following a predictable succession of phases, in relation with the widthof the port hole to be covered with the vertically moving door 6, a baseplate 15 having an adequate length is applied on the upper edge of theframe 7 or port hole itself, in order to drive the supporting ropes 8 ofthe door 6 itself, so that the pulleys 10 for the rolling up and theunrolling of the ropes 8 are indicatively aligned on the vertical lineof the fixing points of the ropes 8 themselves with the edges of thedoor 6, so as to leave the ropes 8 on the outer sides of the respectivesupports 1 and 2.

According to a preferential assembling method, before making theinventive device work on the port hole and before connecting it to thedoor 6 to be moved, the different parts associated with the frictiondiscs 30 and 40 have to be linked and said discs 30, 40 thus preparedhave to be inserted into the respective seats of the supports 1 and 5.Then, the shaft 12 has to be applied and linked to the drum 20 with itshelical spring 22 and finally said parts have to be linked to the shaft12, that is inserted and arranged between the supports 1 and 2.

During the assembly of the inventive device to the frame 7 of the pieceof furniture or door or window, in which a sash closing is wished to beapplied, it is thus sufficient to link, apply and fix the pulleys 10onto the above mentioned ends of the shaft 12 that project from thesupports 1 and 2, for instance by means of said grub screws 11 that arescrewed into the thread holes 10D, so as to press their tip into theshaft 12, in order to make the linking of the pulleys 10 with the shaft12 stable.

Still before proceeding with the assembly of the invention device, theend 22A of the spiral spring 22 has to be linked to the drum 20, bymeans of the screw 21 that is turned into the shaft 12, blocking saiddrum 20 thereto, while the opposing end 22B is made integral with therod 31 of the friction disc 30 by means of the screw 23 that does notstuck or touch the shaft 12, so that the disc 30 is rotationallyindependent from the rotation of the shaft 12.

In this phase or in any following moment of the assembly of thedescribed parts, and anyway after having also stably positioned thesupport 5, the base plate 15 can be applied on the ceiling or upper partof the frame 7 to be vertically opened.

The fixing of the ends of the ropes 8 to the screws 13 of the pulleys 10and of their opposite ends to fixing elements 6A and 6B of the upperedge of the door 6 allows the pulleys 10 to lift the door 6 thanks totheir rotation, by means of the winding of the ropes 8 on the spiralrims 10C, according the winding criteria already claimed in the abovementioned patent that is intended to be improved.

The rotation of the pulleys 10 allows then to roll up the ropes 8 alongthe rim 10C, on the cone-shaped side 10B of each pulley 10, wherein thelength or development of the rim 10C is pre-determined in relation tothe length of the rolling up and unrolling travel that is predicted forthe door 6 to which the inventive device is to be applied. Nevertheless,without an adjustment of the device by means of the friction discs 30and 40, when the rotation force of the pulleys 10 ceases, the door 6would immediately fall down, because the spring means 22 would notundergo any torsion.

In fact, according to the functioning details till now described, withthe rotation of the pulleys 10, also the rotation of the drum 20 and ofthe helical spring 22 would normally occur. Further, since the side 22Bof said spring 22 is linked to the rod 31 of the friction disc 30, thisrotation would drag said disc 30, whose inclined plane 32 would drag theopposing inclined plane 42 of the friction disc 40 and consequentely therotation of the bush 50 would start without the spring 22 meeting a fixpoint necessary for its balancing function.

According to the present invention, taking advantage of the principle ofthe inclined planes 32, 42 of the discs 30, 40, it is possible to makerotate the friction disc 40 also by means of an adjustment key to beinserted into the proper holes 41, so that its inclined surface 42slides on the inclined surface 32 of the disc 30 with the consequentaxial translation of the bush 50 and of the friction discs 53, 54 actingon the flange 52 of the bush 50.

With the translation of the above mentioned bush 50 a progressivecompression of the friction discs 30 and 40 as well as of the frictionmeans 52, 53, and 54 against the inner shoulders of the supports 1 and 5takes place, until the disc 30 in particular is blocked against itssupport 5.

This expedient allows the blocking of the rod 31 of the same disc 30during the preloading of the torsion spring 22.

As a matter of fact, continuing the explanation of the assembly phasesas described above, after having blocked the rod 31 of the disc 30, towhich the end 22B of the spring means 22 is already fixed, the pulleys10 are made spin and so are the shaft 12 and the drum 20, onto which theopposing end 22A of the same spring mean 22 is linked, until the springmeans 22 itself has accumulated the right torsion preloading. This isdone before fixing the ends of the ropes 8 in the seats 13 of thepulleys 10.

Proceeding then with the rotation of the pulleys 10, the ropes 8 aregradually wound onto the respective spiral rims 10C with the consequentlifting of the door 6, while the spring means 22 continues its torsion,expressing a reaction force always balanced with the weight of the door6.

Consequently, when suspending the rolling or unrolling force to the door6 in any point of its vertical travel, a perfect equilibrium between theweight of the door 6 and the reaction of the spring means 22 isachieved, also thanks to the shape of the spiral rims 10C of the pulleys10, according to what is described in the previously patent.

In this way the perfect balance of the door 6 to be moved verticallyalong the frame 7 is achieved, eliminating the heavy and bulky counterweights and the encumbering presence of the helical traction springs onthe sides of the frame 7, simply by using a torsion spring means 22 tobe placed co-axially to the rolling and unrolling pulleys 10 of theropes 8 supporting the door 6, thus achieving a main advantage of theinvention.

Practically, after the phase of assembling of the parts of the inventivedevice, the spring means 22 is preloaded and blocked, acting on thefriction discs 30 and 40 according to what is described above, in orderto minimize its assembly operations.

Nevertheless, if the weight or the length of the travels of the doors 6are different from those theorically foreseen, this device allows theloosening of the friction discs 30 and 40 against the shoulders 1 and 5by means of the adjustment key to be engaged on the holes 41 of the disc40 so as to allow the rotation of the pulleys 10 and thereby increase ordecrease of the torsion of the spring means 22 to assure in any case theperfect balancing between the weight and the travel of the door 6 andthe sash weight reaction of the spring means 22.

Such an adjustment of the balance is possible also with the passing oftime, at any time when an unbalancing occurs, for example because of anincrease of the weight of the door 6 or because of the reduction of thereaction of the spring means 22, thereby accomplishing another of thespecified advantages.

The constructive and assembling simplicity of the elements comprised inthe illustrated device as well as its safety and stability correspond tothe other advantages specified.

Of course, the constructive details described above are to be understoodas purely indicative and not limitative, as already stated.

In fact it is possible, for example, to invert the position of thefriction discs 30, 40 with respect to their supports 1 and 5, as well asto invert the position of the supports 1, 2 with respect to the ends ofthe shaft 12.

If the doors 6 are particularly long, two base plates 15 can be coupledto the same shaft 12 for a corresponding pair of extremity pulleys 10,with respective and opposing supports 1-2-5 and with respective andopposing spring means 22 to be adjusted by corresponding friction discsystems 30 and 40, each part being accomplished according to what isdescribed above.

It is also possible to subdivide the frame 7 into two or more ports tobe closed with a corresponding number of doors, which can be verticallymoved thanks to two or more different devices like the one at issue,said devices being parallel to each other and placed in a single or indifferent positions.

Furthermore, it is possible to increase the resistance and solidity ofthe supports 1 and 5 against the axial thrust of the discs 30 and 40,linking the supports 1, 5 together with tie-rods, that block thesupports 1, 5 against shoulders or intermediate distance pieces.

It is also possible to replace the helical spring 22 with any otherelastic or torsion spring means having an equivalent reduced volume andthe same reaction force. As well, it is possible to simultaneouslyprovide for more than one co-axial spring means 22, provided they havean end 22A linked to the shaft 12 and an end 22B linked to the frictiondisc 30.

Finally, it is possible to provide a box structure that, by linking tothe base plate 15, contains the device in length, leaving out only thepulleys 10 and providing a passage, through which the adjustment key canbe inserted into the holes 41 of the disc 40.

These and other similar modifications or adjustements are in any wayunderstood as belonging to the present invention to be protected.

In summary, a main feature of this invention is that of winding up thesupporting ropes 8 of the element 6 to be translated in spiroid rims 10Cof a pair of opposing pulleys 10, said pulleys 10 being integral witheach other via to a shaft 12 that is rotatable on a bearing structure1-2, said shaft 12 being concentric to a helical spring 22, thatcomprises one end 22A integral with said shaft 12, while the other end22B is integral with the basis 31 of a friction disc 30, that can beblocked to its support 5 to block the other end 22B of the spring 22,whose opposite side is bound to turn with the shaft 12, in order toincrease or decrease its torsion reaction with the changing of themovement of the pulleys 10, assuring in that way the balancing of thebalanced translation of the element 6 on a frame 7 to be verticallycovered or uncovered.

1. A balancing device attached to a suspended element, comprising: ashaft rotatably supported on a support; a pair of opposing pulleysattached to the shaft to be rotatable therewith; a pair of supportingropes, one end of each of which being attached to the suspended element,and respective other ends being attached to the pulleys, wherein each ofthe pulleys comprises a spiral groove onto which respective of the ropescan be rolled for translating the suspended element, wherein the shaftis linked to an end of an elastic mechanism whose opposite end isattached to a friction disc, wherein the friction disc is rotatablysupported on the support and is configured to be blocked against thesupport, to allow adjustment of a torsion load caused by simultaneousrotation of the pulleys and the shaft, and is provided with a headsurface that is inclined with respect to an axis of the shaft and isconfigured to be rotated against a corresponding head surface of anopposing friction disc to exert an axial pressure on the friction disc,for blocking the friction disc against the support.
 2. The device ofclaim 1, wherein the elastic mechanism comprises a spring arrangedcoaxially with the shaft.
 3. The device of claim 2, wherein the oppositeend of the spring is free and independent with respect to the shaft. 4.The device of claim 1, wherein at least one friction ring is provided toincrease friction between the friction discs and the support.
 5. Thedevice of claim 4, wherein the opposing friction disc is rotatablysupported on a bush, the bush being supported on the shaft to be axiallydisplaceable with respect to the support, and comprising a shoulder, oneof the friction rings being arranged between the shoulder and theopposing friction disc.
 6. The device of claim 5, wherein anotherfriction ring is arranged between the shoulder and the support.
 7. Thedevice of claim 1, wherein the blocking of the friction disc against thesupport leads also to blocking of the rotation of the end of the elasticmechanism, whose opposite end is engaged in the rotation of the shaftput in rotation by the pulleys, every time the suspended element isvertically moved.
 8. The device of claim 1, wherein the blocking of thefriction disc by rotation of the friction disc allows the adjustment ofthe torsion load required to be provided by the elastic mechanism tobalance a weight of the suspended element, in any phase of positioningof the suspended element along its vertical translation.
 9. The deviceof claim 1, wherein the elastic mechanism is twined around a drum toprovide a larger and wider development surface for the elasticmechanism.
 10. A balancing device for a suspended element, comprising: ashaft rotatably supported on a support; a pair of opposing pulleysattached to the shaft to be rotatable therewith, wherein each of thepulleys comprises a spiral groove onto which respective rope of a pairof supporting ropes can be attached and rolled for translating thesuspended element; wherein the shaft is linked to an end of an elasticmechanism whose opposite end is attached to a friction disc, wherein thefriction disc is rotatably supported on the support and is configured tobe blocked against the support, to allow adjustment of a torsion loadcaused by simultaneous rotation of the pulleys and the shaft, and isprovided with a head surface that is inclined with respect to an axis ofthe shaft and is configured to be rotated against a corresponding headsurface of an opposing friction disc to exert an axial pressure on thefriction disc, for blocking the friction disc against the support. 11.The device of claim 10, wherein each of the pulleys comprises a spiralgroove onto which respective rope of a pair of supporting ropes can berolled for translating the suspended element, one end of each of theropes being attachable to the suspended element, and respective otherends being attachable to the pulleys.
 12. The device of claim 10,wherein the elastic mechanism comprises a spring arranged coaxially withthe shaft.
 13. The device of claim 12, wherein the opposite end of thespring is free and independent with respect to the shaft.
 14. The deviceof claim 10, wherein at least one friction ring is provided to increasefriction between the friction discs and the support.
 15. The device ofclaim 14, wherein the opposing friction disc is rotatably supported on abush, the bush being supported on the shaft to be axially displaceablewith respect to the support, and comprising a shoulder, one of thefriction rings being arranged between the shoulder and the opposingfriction disc.
 16. The device of claim 15, wherein another friction ringis arranged between the shoulder and the support.
 17. The device ofclaim 10, wherein the blocking of the friction disc against the supportleads also to blocking of the rotation of the end of the elasticmechanism, whose opposite end is engaged in the rotation of the shaftput in rotation by the pulleys, every time the pulleys are put inrotation.
 18. The device of claim 10, wherein the elastic mechanism istwined around a drum to provide a larger and wider development surfacefor the elastic mechanism.